Chaos ensues as DU-UGC war delays admissions

Caught in the middle of the war between the UGC and Delhi University over the four-year undergraduate programme, city colleges Monday were forced to defer admissions, leaving 2.78 lakh students worried.

The first cut-off list that would have opened the admission process, one of the most competitive in the country, Tuesday was to be released late in the evening but wasn’t as no directions came from the university.

Sources attributed the “silence” to DU considering legal action against the University Grants Commission’s order asking it to do away with the four-year programme. Neither Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh nor the university spokesperson could be reached for comment.

To pre-empt the university, the UGC, it is learnt, has filed a caveat that will allow the regulator to be heard before a court order is passed.

Members of AISA staging a demonstration demanding roll back of FYUP in front of Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI Photo)

Colleges have prepared cutoffs in accordance with the four-year course. If they are asked to switch to the three-year programme, the cutoffs will have to change.

With uncertainty continuing, tempers are rising. A debate on the roll back turned bloody when members of two student groups came to blows on the campus. A teacher, who supports the programme, was injured when he tried to intervene.

The university ignored UGC’s Sunday’s order to file a compliance report. Despite several reminders, DU had not sent in a response till Monday evening. The university registrar spoke to a senior UGC official and said a reply would be sent Tuesday morning, sources said.

The university, however, has removed all references to the controversial course from its website, replacing it with undergraduate programme instead.

Earlier, the government said it would not intervene and the matter should be resolved between UGC and DU. At the same time, sources in the government also said the UGC was the supreme authority and DU was bound to comply with its directives.

According to government sources, DU had not taken permission from the Visitor, who is the President, on the four-year course ordinance. It had also not sought any formal permission from the UGC.